The Manifest Prize

About the Open Call

The 16th Annual Manifest Prize has been updated, doubling the award to $10,000. This prize recognizes and supports artists, alongside honorariums for every exhibitor and nine $1,000 Grand Jury Awards each season. The Prize is open to works of ANY media, ANY genre/style, ANY size, with no stylistic or media-based preference or bias in the jurying process. There are almost no restrictions on submissions, and artists who have participated in previous Manifest projects are welcome to submit. Works submitted must have been completed within the past five years (2020-2025). The winning work must be available for exhibition from early December through mid-January and does not need to be available for sale. The Manifest Prize is completely separate from the season's nine Grand Jury Awards. The Manifest Board of Directors committee has also approved additional cash awards of $250 for four runners-up, who will also be recognized and documented in the Manifest Exhibition Annual publication. The $10,000 award-winning work will be unveiled at the gallery on December 11th during a ticketed preview event. The goal is to reward, showcase, celebrate, and document the most exceptional artwork being made today, and to support individual artists in meaningful, career-impacting ways. Eligibility: Open to everyone, entries must represent exceptional original works of visual art, design, or high craftsmanship of any kind, capable of being exhibited in one of Manifest's five galleries. Works must have been completed since 2020 and be available for the exhibition period of early December through mid-January. Media: Open to any and all traditional and non-traditional visual arts genre and media, including video, photography, sculpture, installation, painting, drawing, printmaking, furniture design, etc. There is no size limit or minimum size required. Jury and Curator: A complex two-part system involves an anonymous 7-15+ person volunteer panel of professional and academic advisors and gallery alumni. The work receiving the highest average score will be awarded the prize. The four next highest scoring works will be the finalists (runners up), each awarded $250. Publication: The winner will receive a complimentary copy of the season's large-format hardcover retrospective publication, the Manifest Exhibition Annual, which documents all exhibits, artists, and works shown each season. Delivery and Return: All accepted work must arrive ready to install and professionally presented. Work may be hand-delivered or shipped; shipped works must include prepaid return shipping. Artists are responsible for all shipping costs. Calendar: Deadline to Submit: October 19, 2025; Notifications sent by email: November 3, 2025; Artwork due to Manifest: December 6, 2025; Special Preview Event: December 11, 2025 (7-9pm); Opening Reception: December 12, 2025 (6-9pm); Final Day of Exhibition: January 9, 2026; Pick-up hand-delivered work: January 10-17, 2026; Schedule shipped artwork for pickup: January 14, 2026. Dates are subject to change. Insurance: Works are insured by Manifest while on gallery premises for theft, vandalism, and damage by patrons or staff. Insurance does not cover damage during shipping, failure of artist-provided mounting systems, or degradation due to material quality. Artists are encouraged to insure their works in transit.

What is Offered

The winner receives a $10,000 cash award, a four-week solo exhibition of their work at Manifest Gallery, and a complimentary copy of the season's large-format hardcover publication. Four runner-up artists will receive a $250 cash award and be recognized in the publication.

Requirements

Open to exceptional original works of visual art, design, or high craftsmanship of any kind, completed within the past five years (2020-2025). Works must be available for exhibition from December 12, 2025, to January 9, 2026, and capable of being exhibited in Manifest's galleries. Professional-level presentation and craftsmanship are required. Submitted images must meet specified digital format requirements.

How to Apply

Submit the online entry form at https://www.manifestgallery.org/one/entry/index.html and upload digital images of your work via the provided Dropbox link. Entry fees can be paid via PayPal using the link after submission or by U.S. check/money order mailed to Manifest Creative Research Gallery, 16th Annual MANIFEST PRIZE, P.O. Box 6218, Cincinnati, OH 45206. Images must be high-quality JPEG, no smaller than 1000 pixels in any direction, 72 dpi, and named with artist's last name_first name_entry number. Video entries require a viewable online link and a representative JPEG image.